Wrench



Dec, 29, 1931-. J. P. sLATTl-:RY

WRENCH Filed oct. 9, 1928 p @l VENTOR l BY l AJ. ATTORNEY Patented Dec.` Y29, 1931 y JOHN?. s-Lmrrnr'w, "ou New vom; N. Y.

WRENCH npp1icatin-fi1eafoetaber 9.1925. serial No. 311,288.

This invention relates tp 4improv.ements` in wrenches-and more especially to what are commonly termedMlange wrenches which are usedor applying, removing or adjusting flangedV members in respect to Atheir .associate parts such as pipes or tubes. i

The main object of theinvention is to provide a .new and improvedlflange wrench which among other advantagesover `prior constructions is more readily applicable tojtheflange or vother part to be yactuatedand during such application aswell as yduring thev operation has its entire weight,sustainedA by said part, thereby relievingoperators or workmenof the burden of the implement, the resultbeing that :the adjusting and `actuating operations .are performed with ease :rand celerity and f ith-a minimum call ontheenergy lof theoperator. i i g Another :object of .theinventiongisyto provide a wrench'which isi.collapsible,so that not only does the wrench occuplya :minimum of space when not in .usebut also isless liable to injury han onehaving fixed projecting 25, parts which are lliable .to become. bent or twisted if the jwrench. Vis Adroppedor `thrown around.

To theabove and o sequently appear, present inventionwconi sists inthe features `of construction, combinations of devices and arrangements offparts hereinafter described vand particularlypointed out in the claims. n

The invention will be specifically described .35 and explained in connection with the .ac-

comp anying drawings .which :illustrate the preferred `form, and wherein.: '1 Fig. 1 is aside elevation V,of wrench-.applied to a flange having ,peripheral lugs.; 40 Fig. ,2 is a1 corresponding view. .ofthe wrench but fapplied .to va .flange having bojlt holes instead of peripheral lugs; i

Fig.. 3 is .a side elevation of the wrench detached.; .and A f ,l

Fig. 4 is an end view .of'Fig .das Aseen Vfrom the right, Apartsbeing broken away'. for

`the sake of clearness. y .p

My Vnovel flange Awrench embodiesalever system p of the iirst order. l and comprises a bar or lever member 10- of wood or metal,

- shoulder or tooth 19...

in register A.' suitably rshaped-and `rounded ofi" at its end portionfindicated at 11, whereby said end portion isadapted kfor Athe application` nof power by operators. V `The operatinglbar. or y lever member 10 .is a lever oit-*the irsttorder,

*opposite edge portions betweenjits ends-lin the neighborhoodct the pointsindicatedlby the reference numeral 12 being adapted for contact with the ianges orrother parts togheV yactuated :In other words, the points 12 may be said tobe ulcriuncontacts or points.- The end portionor arm of the bar orlever' 10 oppositenrfrom ldie power arm 11. movablysupports `a .'iljange-engagingelement which', i as ,hereinmshowm.comprises two `side bars Or plates 13- arranged in parallelism and loosely yembr.aciiig `the bar 10 with the end portion of whic'hfthey Y are pivotally 'connectedbya cross pinlllaone end of which may beheaded,

asindicatedlat 15the opposite end portion .being threaded `and'.projecting outwardvto i receive/a nut 16.. This maybe tightened 4.to ysecureithe flange-engaging element "relatively Y toftliebar when desired.l The pivotal connection between the bars 13 andthelever'l allows the former to be swung into .alignment I .y y l. with the latter when thewrenchisnot inuse. her endswhich willsubu p i V.iiange-engaging element areV provided with alternately usable flange-engaging The opposite end portionsor armszof the devices.

One of these devices comprises a pawl or dog 137 pivoted at 18 between the barsll Vand formed at its free .end with an engaging The bolt 18by which the dog or pawl is lpivotally vconnected to the bars 13 yhas the further function of'holding the'bars 13 in parallel relation toeach other so that Vthe two bars swing relativelyto the lever as a :unit or `Single element.

The engaging devices at the opposite `end `of the flange-engaging element comprisea of sets of holes indicated at 20,

plurality there being three such sets in the present instance. V.lilachrset comprises a pair oflholes with each otherv in the two bars or plates 13, the Ysets'being sufciently spaced apart lengthwise of the bars 13 to take care of the usual variations in position of the pipeila-nge bolt-holes. 1 y i A i The operation of the flange wrench will first be described in connection with a flange of the type illustrated in Fig. 1 and indicated at 21. Said flange is provided with a plurality of peripheral lugs 22 and has a hub 23 interiorly threaded for cooperation with the threaded end portion of a tube or pipe 24. With this type of' flange the dog member or pawl member 17 is employed, and accordingly the wrench is lifted and rested on the top portion of the periphery of the flange 21 at or in the neighborhood of the point indicated at 25 which serves as a fulcrum for the i wrench and sustains the weight of the entire apparatus, the pawl 17 hanging downward so that its tooth 19 may engage with one of the peripheral lugs22 as shown. Power is applied to the power arm, or handle portion, 11 of the lever 10 which, being pushed or pressed downward, applies such power to the flange to the best advantage and causes relative turning movement between the flange and the pipe, the flange as shown being moved rotatably in clockwise direction.

It will be observed that during this operation in which the engaging device or pawl 17 is employed, the engaging devices 20 remain up out of operative position.

If it should be desired to make use of the pipe wrench for turning a flange of the character shown in Fig. 2, which flangeV 26 is formed with a plurality of bolt holes indicated at 27, it is merely necessary to reverse or turn the wrench as a whole, bringing the apertured portion of the flange-engaging element 13, 13 downward and raising the pawl 17 up out of the way into inoperative position. In applying the wrench to the flange 26, the bar 10 as before is rested or supported on the upper portion of the flange periphery, l

contacting therewith at a point indicated at 28, the corresponding contact point or fulcrum-contact 12 of the bar 10 being at the opposite edge thereof from the fulcrum contact employed in adjusting the flange 21. The outer portion of the flange 26 at its lefthand side in Fig. 2 is loosely embraced between the bars 13 of the flange-engaging element, and one or another of the sets of holes 2O is brought into register with the nearest bolt hole 27 in the flange. Thereupon a pin 29 is passed through one of the holes 20, thence through the bolt hole 27 and through the opposite hole 20, thereby operatively connecting the wrench with the. flange 26 so that when power is applied to the bar 10 as before the flange will receive rotary movement, in clockwise direction as shown.

In practice, a wrench or implement made in accordance with my present invention is found to be applicable to the part to be actuated readily and expeditiously and thereafter to be operated with a minimum expenditure of power. In this connection it will be understood that not only is the adjustment of the wrench or its application to the part to be moved expedited, owing to the fact that the operator does not have to sustain its weight during such adjustments, but also his strength is greatly conserved since he is relieved of sustaining the weight of the wrench during the adjusting operation as distinguished from the actuating operation proper wherein it is, of course, necessary to expend his strength.

Various changes may be made without de parting from the invention; and its use is not limited to the pipe flange or to pipe flanges of the particular character illustrated herein.

What I claim is:

1. A flange wrench comprising in combination a lever ofthe first order, and a flangeengaging element pivotally connected between its ends to one end of said lever, one arm of said element carrying a dog or pawl adapted to engage a shoulder on the periphery of a flange and the other arm being provided with means for engaging the walls of a laterally extending aperture in a flange.

2. A flange wrench comprising in combination a hand bar having a fulcrum contact portion between its ends, and a flange-engaging 'element pivotally connected to one end of said bar, said flange-engaging element comprising two bars spaced apart to loosely embrace the flange, a pin adapted to pass through both bars and an aperture in that portion o'f the flange lying between said bars, anda pawl or dog pivotally supported between said arms adapted to engage the periphery of a flange.

3. A 'flange wrench comprising in combination a hand bar having a fulcrum contact portion between its ends, and a flangeengaging element pivotally connected between its ends to one end of said bar, said flange-engaging element comprising two bars spaced apart to loosely embrace the flange, and a pawl or dog carried by one arm of said element pivotally supported between said bars, the portions of the bars forming the other arm of said element being provided with a plurality of sets of openings, each set eing adapted to receive a flange-connecting pin.

4;. A collapsible wrench comprising in combination a lever and a flange-engaging element comprising p two apertured bars spaced apart to loosely embrace the flange and the lever and a pivotal connection between the bars and the lever adapted to allow the bars to move into alignment with the lever when the wrench is not in use and to swing away from the lever to allow the apertures in the bars to be brought into register with an aperture in the flange for the passage of a pin therethroug A collapsible wrench as in claim 4 which comprises connecting means between said bars adapted to hold the latter in parallel relation to each other irrespective of the an- Tn. iov

gular position of the bars relatively to the lever. y

6. A collapsible wrench as in claim 4 in which the lever is a lever of the first class and the bars are pivotally connected to the end of the lever.

7 A flange wrench comprising in combination a lever, and a flange-engaging element pivotally connected between its ends to said lever, one arm of said element carrying a dog or pawl adapted to engage a shoulder on the periphery of a flange and the other arm being provided with means for engaging the wall of a laterally extending aperture in Va flange.

8. A flange wrench comprising in combination a lever and a flange-engaging element pivotally Connected between its ends to said lever, said flange-engaging element comprising two bars spaced apart to loosely embrace the flange and said lever, and a pawl or dog mounted between said bars at one end thereof for engagement with the periphery of a flange, the portions of the bars at the other end thereof being provided with a pair of openings adapted to register with an aper ture in a fiange and to receive a flange-cow neeting pin.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN P. SLATTERY. 

